


Soft and Sweet

by blakefancier



Series: For Your Entertainment [13]
Category: Captain America (2011)
Genre: Dom/sub, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-14
Updated: 2012-04-14
Packaged: 2017-11-03 15:56:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/383241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Howard and Steve have a bit of a discussion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soft and Sweet

"Don't kneel," Steve says, after Howard sheds his clothes and stands in the middle of his workroom. "You'll hurt your knees on the concrete." Instead, Steve pulls them into the bedroom and they settle on the bed, backs against the headboard.

Howard leans his head against Steve's shoulder and closes his eyes, enjoying the warmth and safety of Steve's body. "How did everyone's physicals go today?"

"Good." Steve presses a kiss to Howard's hair and strokes his arm. "Jones's shoulder is almost a hundred percent. Phllips says we can head out early next week." 

"So soon?" Howard fights the urge to cling to Steve; he's not that person, he refuses to be that person.

"Yeah. We won't be gone long, I promise. You'll take care of yourself, won't you?"

He smiles at that. "Don't I always?"

"No," Steve says softly, grabs a fistful of Howard's hair, and tilts his head back. "Open your eyes." When Howard obeys, Steve presses a kiss to his mouth. "Promise me that you'll take care of yourself."

Howard swallows hard. "I promise."

Steve frowns at him. "You'll eat every day, you'll sleep when you need to, you'll… you'll stay in my bunk when you get lonely?"

"I promise." He touches Steve's face. "Sir, I promise." 

"Okay." Steve takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I trust you, Howard."

"And I trust you, sir." And it's the truth, the absolute truth. God, when did that happen?

"There's one other thing I want you to do for me while I'm gone." Steve flushes and Howard knows it's going to be something sexual; that makes him flush, too. "Peggy says there's a shop, a… specialty shop, that's still open here in London. She's agreed to take you. I want… I want you to buy some… items."

For a moment, Howard is speechless. Steve wants him to… to… His face grows hot. He licks his lips and looks away. "You want me to buy things I think you'll like?"

Steve gently grips Howard's chin and turns his head back. "No. I want you to buy things *you'd* like us to use. Can you do that for me, Howard?"

He nods, and when Steve sighs, he says, "Yes, sir. I can do that."

"Good." Steve kisses him again. "That's very good."

Howard flushes, but it's not from embarrassment this time. Well, not only from embarrassment. "Thank you, sir."

"Mmm. So I guess we should talk about what I brought up earlier. About showing you off to Peggy and Falsworth." 

He doesn't mean to tense, but his chest tightens and his mouth goes dry and… and, *dammit.* 

"Shh." Steve gathers him close and gently rubs his back. "What is it, Howard? What gets you so worked up every time I mention that?"

"Please, please," he says, burying his face against Steve's neck. "I don't want to play with other people. I don't… Not that I think we're playing, I don't. But I don't… I can't… Please, don't let them use me. Sir, please."

"What?" Steve sounds horrified. "No, Howard, no! I'd never, never let anyone touch you. I'd never… I think you misunderstood what I meant. Howard, I'm not going to give anyone permission to touch you. Ever. That's my promise to you."

Howard shudders and forces himself to relax the death grip he has on Steve's shirt.

"That's why I wanted to talk about this first, so we can discuss expectations, make rules, find out our limits. Okay?"

"Yes. Yes, sir."

"Great." Steve gentle strokes the back of Howard's neck and he relaxes a bit more. "Rule number one, then, no one touches you unless you give express permission first."

He wants to agree to that, but he knows he can't, because it's *wrong,* especially if they're supposed to highlight Howard's obedience. "When you give permission, sir." 

"What?"

"N-No one touches me unless *you* give express permission." He pulls back slightly and looks at Steve. "I trust you, sir."

Steve smiles and strokes Howard's hair. "Rule number two, you obey completely. No questions, no hesitation. Is that understood?"

He bites his bottom lip and looks down, suddenly tense again.

"Howard," Steve says in warning, and Howard forces himself to look up again.

"I can still use my safeword?"

"You can *always* use your safeword, Howard. *Always.*" 

He leans his head on Steve's shoulder. "I understand. No questions, no hesitations."

"And…" Steve hesitates. "And if you're disobedient, you'll be punished."

Howard squeezes his eyes closed and whimpers softly.

"How should I punish you, Howard?" Steve rubs circles up and down Howard's back.

Images flood Howard's mind, each one more horrible than the next: beatings, whippings, Steve telling him that he's worthless, nothing, while Peggy and Falsworth watch.

"Howard, breathe and think. Come on, you can do it. What do you think is a proper punishment?" 

He forces himself to take a slow, deep breath, then another, and another, until he's calm enough to push aside the images and puzzle out what Steve is trying to say. Finally, he says, "Spank me?" 

"Is that what you think a proper punishment is, Howard?" 

That's when the realization hits him, that Steve isn't testing him. Steve really wants him to decide his own punishment. That… that isn't how it's done at all! He moves out of Steve's embrace and stares at him, incredulous. "I… Yes? No… no, yes."

"You don't sound sure." Steve touches his arm.

So Howard thinks about it, really *thinks* about punishments and what would appease the both of them. "I… I am. I am sure. Not… It would… If I'm disobedient, sir, you should take me over your lap and give me a few swats. But not… please, sir, not bare-bottomed." God, the very thought horrifies him.

"No, no, I won't do that. I don't want them to… They won't be allowed to see anything they don't already see every day."

Howard lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, sir." 

"You're welcome." Steve takes his hand and squeezes his fingers gently. "Rule number three, there won't be any… any inappropriate behavior. I don't… I know some people don't mind an audience, but I do."

He knew that already, but it's nice to have it confirmed. "Sir? What about other behavior? Should I kneel on the floor? Do I call them sir and ma'am? Do I serve them as well?"

Steve looks thoughtful for a moment. "No, no kneeling. Sit at the table with the rest of us and call them what you normally call them. As for serving them, yes, you will. But only when I tell you to. How does that sound?"

"I… I think I can do that, sir." And that's the truth. He slumps a little, strangely exhausted.

Steve gently pulls Howard into his arms. "It's been a long day. Why don't we call it an early night?"

Howard nods and hesitantly presses a kiss to Steve's jaw. "Do you want me to get the oil?"

"Not tonight. I think I just want to hold you."

"Okay," he says, because that sounds wonderful.


End file.
